Both the Michigan House of Representatives and the State Board of Education have moved swiftly to address the problems raised in The Center for Michigan’s recent special report, “School Daze: Michigan’s Shrinking School Year.”
The State Board of Education passed the following resolution this week:
Mr. Austin moved, seconded by Mrs. Bauer, that the State Board of Education commends the Michigan House of Representatives for taking the first step in the recently passed School Aid budget (HB 4447) that includes 170 days and 1,098 hours. The State Board of Education recommends the Legislature require 180 days and 1,098 hours of pupil instruction for schools using a seat-based model of education, while allowing for the continuation of waivers of such days and hours by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to explore and promote innovative educational models. The vote was taken on the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
The school aid budget passed by the House would impact the 41 percent of Michigan public school districts and public charter schools that held fewer than 170 days of instruction last year, according to official state data cited in the School Daze report.
Should the legislature follow the state board’s request to return to 180 days of instruction, nearly every school district in the state would be required to beef up its days of instruction, which have almost universally dropped below the general national standard of 180 days in recent years, as the School Days report illustrated.
The School Days report continues to stir debate in local communities about the length and intensity of the school year. Three examples:
This from an editorial today in the Lansing State Journal… “As Lansing parents convene tonight to discuss the number of buildings to stay open, they should consider a few other figures (drawn from the 2007-08 school year): Number of days scheduled – 174 Number of days held – 170. Number of hours of grade school instruction – 1,045. Is that really enough to be competitive?”
This note of thanks from Kathleen Moore, president of the Battle Creek Lakeview School Board… “Our superintendent works very closely with her colleagues in Calhoun County and they all feel very strongly about this. We will continue to do all we can. What we want is a school calendar that is best for student learning!!”
And this from Jamie Yeomans, the wife of a Michigan teacher… “I am married to one of the most dedicated, hard-working teachers in this state and do not appreciate petty attacks on his profession… For example, my husband’s district is inundated with Korean students every year whose families move to the US for a single year to immerse their children in English and benefit from the innovative instructional techniques that are offered here. It may surprise you to learn that the average student in Seoul, South Korea may attend school 200 hundred days of the year, but are physically present for far less time than our students right here in Michigan.”
